The Explosion
by dfwan
Summary: This story takes off from the explosion in Episode 12 of Season 2, "The Choice". It takes a rather different turn.
1. Chapter 1

This story takes off from after the bomb explosion in "The Choice"- Episode 12 of Season 2. It does take a rather different turn…

Saul Berenson breathed a heavy sigh. This day wasn't exactly his idea of a productive work day- supervising the burial of a terrorist. Still, it did give some closure to the search for Nazir which had consumed his work for the past 2 years. The costs for him and Carrie had been huge. He'd lost the love of his life and she'd lost her sanity, if briefly. He was glad it was all finally over.

He started from his reverie as he felt his phone vibrate from his pocket. He pulled it out, and quickly glanced at the caller ID. It was Galvez. What did he want, Saul briefly wondered. He impatiently answered, "Berenson here".

As he listened to Galvez, he starting marching toward the helipad on the ship. He knew no time was to be wasted.

After listening to all he had to tell him, he had only one question, "and Carrie?".

His question was met with silence on the other end.

Galvez knew what Saul was going to ask, and he was already in the process of working out just exactly where Carrie was. He knew there were few options; they had her on the list of people that had attended the memorial. She was either in the long list of casualties being taken to hospital- most critically injured, or..well he didn't want to consider the alternative. He's always liked Carrie, and still did despite her recent fuck up. He understood the pressure she was under and he felt respect rather than disgust for the way she had handled her single minded search for Nazir and his associates.

As he picked his way through the twisted and broken wreckage of the CIA, he passed EMT's, CIA agents collecting evidence, and every now again…a body part. His eyes searched the area for any evidence of her. Thus far she hadn't appeared on any lists from the triage team that had set up in the parking lot.

He could see part of the building that had been hit but was still partially standing. He headed toward it, knowing Carrie wouldn't have been in there during the ceremony. He stepped into the debris and immediately saw a hand extending from the open door of a nearby office. He ran in, it was her. She lay face down with the side of her face exposed. "Carrie! Carrie!", he crouched down, and felt for her pulse at her neck. He held his fingers as still as he could with shaking hands for a minute. There was something there. Weak, but present. He quickly called for help from the EMT's, and they rushed in and started assessing her. He watched numbly as they loaded her onto a stretcher. He could plainly see blood and wounds all over her. She didn't move.

Saul sat silently next to her bed in the Intensive Care Unit, deep in thought. He let the darkness and warmth surround him as he felt the emotions of the day come down upon his shoulders. He had arrived just as Maggie had come back from speaking to the doctor.

Maggie had red-rimmed eyes and looked tired. She had told him what the doctor had said without emotion. Carrie had a bad concussion, with a small amount of swelling on her brain. She had broken ribs, and one of them had punctured her lung- they had performed surgery to correct this. She had a deep cut in her thigh, which had required surgery and fifty four stitches to repair. Saul had listened without commenting, after this list of injuries, he had just one question, "She's going to be ok though, right?".

Maggie had allowed her emotions to creep in, and tears had sprung to her eyes. She didn't reply.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

_Night time, Carrie's hospital room._

Saul looked up at her face- she had several cuts on the right side of her face. He wondered if they would scar, and then thought how silly it was to think of something so trivial at a moment like this. He listened as the heart monitor and various other machines beeped and pulsed. Keeping her breathing, watching her signs. They reassured him, and he settled back into his chair knowing he would sit here all night listening to them.

Frank took over from him in the morning, keeping a silent vigil with the woman they all loved so dearly. He couldn't help but think how unfair this all was to his little girl. She had been through so much in the last year, and now this. She had to make it through, to him there was no other option. As he sat watching her, he vividly remembered the first time she was injured as a result of her career. It wasn't anything life threatening- and she had really brought it on herself. It was her first year working in the field, and she and her team were surveiling a suspect. It was unseasonably hot in Langley and she had lain on top of a tin roof for 3 hours recording a meeting between two suspects. Her team had to wait until the suspects had left, then dragged her off the roof with severe heat exhaustion. She spent 4 days in hospital before Frank picked her up and brought her home. He had listened to her explain with glee how great it was she was able to get the meet on tape, a proud glint in her eye. In that moment he knew he had no choice but to support her in her work, as it was obviously more important to her than he could ever understand.

Startling him from his thoughts, Carrie seemed to take a deep breath.

"Carrie…sweetheart. Can you hear me?", he grasped her hand in his and lent toward her face. She remained still in spite of his attention, and he questioned whether she had stirred at all. As he lent back in his chair, Maggie came into the room.

"Hi Mags", his eyes moved to the several bags in her arms, "What's all this stuff?".

Maggie put everything down and came over to the bed, "How's it going here? She hasn't woken?"

Frank shook his head, "I think I'm imagining things...I thought she was stirring a few moments ago. But, no, no change"

Maggie did a quick flick through of the medical chart at the end of the bed, and then started pulling things out of the bags. Frank watched as she pulled out Carrie's throw from her bed at home, a candle she normally kept on her bedside table, and various toiletries. The last thing she pulled out was a seal-it bag containing pills, small vials of liquid, syringes, and sterilising equipment. He looked expectantly up at Maggie, "What is this for Maggie? I think they know how to look after her here".

Maggie shook out the throw and laid it over Carrie, "I'm worried about when she wakes up Dad. You know what happened last time she was in an explosion. This is just so I can make sure she stays ok. I'll give her some lithium as soon as she wakes. Maybe a higher dose, we'll see how she is….what other drugs she's on.." she trailed off as she sat down. The candle was on the table beside the bed and the bag of toiletries and seal it bag she placed in the drawer. She sat down slowly, regarding Carrie properly for the first time since she'd entered.

Franks' eyes softened, "Maggie, you're a good sister, a great sister. Thank you for taking care of her".

Maggie wasn't listening, instead she had lent in and was looking closely at Carrie, "Dad I think she has some more colour in her cheeks. Maybe you were right." She turned her attention to one of the machines behind her, "Heart rate is slightly up from last night". She brushed her hand gently across Carrie's face, brushing away a stray strand of hair and adjusting the oxygen mask that lay across her mouth and nose.

"Carrie, Carrie, wake up sweetie, everything's ok", she gently stroked her cheek as she spoke.

Frank lent forward, "Carrie…..sweetheart. Can you hear me?"

It seemed like hours, but was in fact only moment until Frank felt her fingers move ever so slightly in his hand. Maggie could see her eyes flutter behind closed lids.

"That's right sweetie, open your eyes, we're here for you, it's all ok".

Carrie's eyes opened ever so slightly, as she inhaled. She made a sound, barely a whisper of a groan.

Maggie's eyes filled with tears and she smiled, "Good girl, you're awake. Carrie, I want you to tell me you're ok…speak to me"

Carrie opened her eyes some more and looked at Maggie in the eye, "Maggie", she barely got the word out, but somehow managed to. As she spoke her eyes clouded with tears, "Maggie" she sounded stronger now, and a tear ran down her cheek as she tried to shift in the bed, "It hurts….Maggie…" The agony in her voice was unbearable for Frank to listen to and he was out of the room before she finished to get a doctor.


	3. Chapter 3

_At the CIA headquarters_

Saul sat at his desk, head in his hands. If what he had just heard was true he did not know how he was going to manage. Chatter had emerged from various channels. Word was, Brody was alive, and on the run. Worse still was the next bit of intelligence they had gathered. Although incomplete, the information indicated that the associates of Nazir that still lingered were now coming for Carrie. Her life was their next target. Why, he couldn't say, what he needed to do was somehow avoid all possible sources of CIA interference and get her somewhere safe, fast. He just couldn't trust anyone in the company to help him.

He picked up the phone with trepidation, dialing a number that had become very familiar in the last couple of days.

"Maggie, it's Saul" he brusquely greeted her, "How is she?"

Saul listened to her response and felt a great weight lift from his shoulders, although he didn't have a plan yet, he knew he had to go to her.

"I'll be right there".

Less than 15 minutes later, and a few traffic violations under his belt, Saul pulled up in the hospital car park. He had rushed to the hospital without any thought for how he was going to deal with the latest crisis. He paused after he parked the car and went through options in his mind. The first choice was to alert the CIA and get them to station multiple agents and security around the hospital. He already knew that would open Carrie up to more threats. Whether there was a new mole in the agency was no longer a question; the information he had received made that much clear. He also knew that anything that brought more attention to her location was a mistake.

The second option was the one that worried him. He knew somewhere in his heart, that it was the only option right now. It ultimately depended on her. He hurried out of the car and powerwalked up to the elevator.

As he entered the room he could see the touches that Maggie had added to the room. Frank had gone home, and Maggie restlessly adjusted the throw over Carrie. She looked up sharply as Saul entered.

"That was fast. She's asleep again." She glanced down at her sister, pursing her lips, "She was in a lot of pain…it was her ribs I think…the doctor gave her some morphine".

Saul could see the anxiety and tension that was etched into Maggie's face. He looked at her with concern, "Thanks for calling. Have you eaten?".

Maggie paused, actually having to consider when the last time she ate was, "No. Actually what time is it? I think I had dinner last night…god I'm as bad as her sometimes". She smiled and Saul did too.

"You're worried. That's normal. So, what's next? Will the Doctor be back tonight?". Saul wanted to hear from his mouth what exact condition Carrie was in. It made a big difference to his plans just how she was recovering.

Maggie shook her head, "No, in the morning", she moved toward the window and closed the blinds, pausing, "How about I go and grab us both some food? You'll be here awhile".

Saul nodded, "That sounds great. Thank you".

He settled down in to the chair Frank had earlier vacated and Maggie picked up her handbag and left.

He adjusted himself so he could look into Carrie's face without straining and took her free hand in both of his. It was warm and soft, like always, and he let his thumb pass over her knuckles gently.

"Carrie", he called softly, knowing from the heart monitor to her left that she wasn't too far away from consciousness

He waited and watched as her breathing became deeper, and her eyes started to flutter. She sighed and then opened her eyes, looking straight at him with heavy lidded eyes.

She managed a weak smile, "Hey Mister Berenson". It was barely a mumble, and came from behind an oxygen mask, but he could still understand her. Her words brought an unexpected tightness to his chest, and he quickly took a deep breath.

"Carrie, are you in pain?". He watched her carefully as she blinked slowly and laboriously.

"Morphine…" she trailed off, "is really good". Her eyes closed for a moment, "Saul", She looked at him with more lucidity, "is Brody alive?".

He sighed and passed a hand over his forehead.

"He hasn't turned up. No one can find any evidence either way. They're investigating him actually". He met her eyes and saw the confusion there.

"Carrie, a lot of people think he was responsible, they think he's escaped", she didn't immediately reply, but her tears said it all.

"No, no Saul.", she started to breathe more heavily and he could see her struggling to calm down as the pain in her ribs and head started to explode.

"Carrie, you have to calm down", he reached over and adjusted her oxygen mask back over her face.

Hoping to distract her from this latest distressing news, which he was kicking himself for telling her, he decided now was the time to get everything important out, "We need to talk about the fallout from this Carrie".

She took several breaths, leaning heavily back into the pillows and closing her eyes to regain control. A moment later, opening her eyes she looked at Saul, "What is it?".

With a heavy heart, Saul began to explain the intelligence he had received, and what he planned to do about it.

_The next day at the hospital_

Saul marched brusquely into the room and headed over to Carrie. She was asleep and looked peaceful. With regret he starting pulling out the various tubes and wires attached to her.

She stirred as he pulled out the IV line from her right hand, "Saul…is it time", she mumbled sleepily.

He paused, and pulled off the oxygen tube beneath her nose, "It's time. Try and relax, we'll be there soon".

He bent down and gently scooped her up into his arms, wrapping the throw around her as he lifted her. She gritted her teeth as pain shot through her, but kept quiet. She knew, even in the state she was in, that it was vital they get out of the hospital without anyone seeing them. In her mind, she went into "agent" mode and started thinking through all the options of their escape.

They made it down and out a side entrance of the hospital minutes later. Maggie waited near the door in a rented car. She saw them approach and her breathing quickened in the realization of what they were doing.

Saul opened the back door and eased them both in. Maggie glanced back at him, wide eyed. "Go", he said, "Now".

She put her foot down, and they were out of the city in less than an hour.


End file.
